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2007 O'Scares Awards
Here is a edited copy of the review from the TX section of the standard examiner in Ogden Ut. this article was printed Oct. 15, 2007.
And the O'scare goes to ...
Monday, October 15, 2007
You've heard of the Oscars. The Academy Awards. The Emmys. But have you heard of the Spookies? Or the O'scares? Chances are you probably haven't.
These first-ever TX. awards are being presented to four Top of Utah haunted houses visited during October. It's a way to recognize some of the haunting masters in the Top of Utah.
Our categories are the best, the scariest and the funniest. Our four nominees are the Lazarus Maze, located in Ogden, off 24th Street; Haunted Hollow, out in West Haven; Black Island Farms Field of Screams, stationed in Syracuse; and Dark Night Haunted House, on Fort Lane Blvd. in Layton.
And the envelope please ....
O'scares
Best Location: Lazarus Maze. It was easy to find, being off of 24th Street and the building itself is looming. The maze is located inside a tall yellowish-brown building that looks like a cross between Ogden High and the old North Davis Junior High. When I went to check it out during the day, I found myself anxious about the other creepy buildings surrounding it. Because they were old and deserted, they gave the feeling of remoteness and isolation to the haunted house.
Best Story/Theme: Lazarus Maze. The building has been turned into a mental hospital being run by a crazed doctor. The rooms reflect this when you go into multiple areas that are holding disturbed patients who always want to play games with you. When you first enter, you meet the doctor who asks you if you are returning or visiting. He then shouts orders to the pharmacist, who is in the next room, to give you either a single or double dose of "medication." The cockier you are, the bigger your dose.
Best Music: Disturbed Patient's Room at Lazarus Maze. The music was a tune to a lullaby, and it added to the overall freakiness of being a patient in a mental hospital. Besides, what 16-year-old girl listens to lullabies at night? Certainly not a sane one.
Best Actor: Jester and Zombie Ushers. This award is a tossup between the jester from the Lazarus Maze and the zombie ushers at Dark Night Haunted House. The jester stayed in character so well that when she's talking you might think she was actually mental. Her voice sounded like that of a 4-year-old who might talk in a high-pitched third-person voice. But the zombie ushers also deserve this award for resisting any temptation to break character. They stared people down, and shuffled disturbingly. It must be hard not to laugh at the stares people give you and difficult to always shuffle and jerk your body around.
Scariest Actor: Although he was slightly annoying, the little boy in the kitchen at the Lazarus Maze freaked us out. Because of his ear-splitting screams (they could shatter glass) we were eager to do whatever he said. He shrieked, "FIND THE BUTTON! FIND THE BUTTON!" Did that encourage us to find the button? You bet.
Scariest Lighting: This Spookie is sliced four ways to go to all the haunts. Three out of four had strobe lights, all had some type of mist or fog, and all of them had pitch- black rooms. This constant change in lighting made it hard to discern when someone was sneaking up on us or going to jump out and scare us.
Now that you have read about the best, the scariest and the funniest haunts in the Top of Utah, go scare or laugh yourself silly this Halloween season. Enjoy!
Jordan R. is a senior at Christian Heritage School. She plays in a dodgeball league, and likes to camp and draw. E-mail her at paperangel203?hotmail.com.
And the O'scare goes to ...
Monday, October 15, 2007
You've heard of the Oscars. The Academy Awards. The Emmys. But have you heard of the Spookies? Or the O'scares? Chances are you probably haven't.
These first-ever TX. awards are being presented to four Top of Utah haunted houses visited during October. It's a way to recognize some of the haunting masters in the Top of Utah.
Our categories are the best, the scariest and the funniest. Our four nominees are the Lazarus Maze, located in Ogden, off 24th Street; Haunted Hollow, out in West Haven; Black Island Farms Field of Screams, stationed in Syracuse; and Dark Night Haunted House, on Fort Lane Blvd. in Layton.
And the envelope please ....
O'scares
Best Location: Lazarus Maze. It was easy to find, being off of 24th Street and the building itself is looming. The maze is located inside a tall yellowish-brown building that looks like a cross between Ogden High and the old North Davis Junior High. When I went to check it out during the day, I found myself anxious about the other creepy buildings surrounding it. Because they were old and deserted, they gave the feeling of remoteness and isolation to the haunted house.
Best Story/Theme: Lazarus Maze. The building has been turned into a mental hospital being run by a crazed doctor. The rooms reflect this when you go into multiple areas that are holding disturbed patients who always want to play games with you. When you first enter, you meet the doctor who asks you if you are returning or visiting. He then shouts orders to the pharmacist, who is in the next room, to give you either a single or double dose of "medication." The cockier you are, the bigger your dose.
Best Music: Disturbed Patient's Room at Lazarus Maze. The music was a tune to a lullaby, and it added to the overall freakiness of being a patient in a mental hospital. Besides, what 16-year-old girl listens to lullabies at night? Certainly not a sane one.
Best Actor: Jester and Zombie Ushers. This award is a tossup between the jester from the Lazarus Maze and the zombie ushers at Dark Night Haunted House. The jester stayed in character so well that when she's talking you might think she was actually mental. Her voice sounded like that of a 4-year-old who might talk in a high-pitched third-person voice. But the zombie ushers also deserve this award for resisting any temptation to break character. They stared people down, and shuffled disturbingly. It must be hard not to laugh at the stares people give you and difficult to always shuffle and jerk your body around.
Scariest Actor: Although he was slightly annoying, the little boy in the kitchen at the Lazarus Maze freaked us out. Because of his ear-splitting screams (they could shatter glass) we were eager to do whatever he said. He shrieked, "FIND THE BUTTON! FIND THE BUTTON!" Did that encourage us to find the button? You bet.
Scariest Lighting: This Spookie is sliced four ways to go to all the haunts. Three out of four had strobe lights, all had some type of mist or fog, and all of them had pitch- black rooms. This constant change in lighting made it hard to discern when someone was sneaking up on us or going to jump out and scare us.
Now that you have read about the best, the scariest and the funniest haunts in the Top of Utah, go scare or laugh yourself silly this Halloween season. Enjoy!
Jordan R. is a senior at Christian Heritage School. She plays in a dodgeball league, and likes to camp and draw. E-mail her at paperangel203?hotmail.com.
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